Damian Wayne is the latest in a long line of Robins. Dick Grayson was the first ever robin. Who is the best of the lot – the oldest or the youngest one? Let’s find out!!
Dick Grayson: He Was The First
Sure Jimmy Olsen and Superman have been around for a long time. But nobody thinks of Olsen when they hear the word ‘Sidekick’. The first name that comes to mind will always be Robin. And in comic book history, the first truly popular sidekick was Dick Grayson. He was the first to take over the mantle and the first to make it worthwhile. More or less, Dick Grayson’s Robin started the sidekick trend in the superhero community. That is a practice that was carried forward even into the Marvel Comic books. Dick Grayson has been around almost as long as Batman.
Also Read: 10 Slickest Robin Suits
Damian Wayne: Biological Heir To the Mantle Of The Bat
Batman does have a bad habit of taking in troubled strays and using them as weapons in his war on crime. Many of these kids end up becoming superheroes in their own right. But to do so, they must be chosen by Bruce Wayne himself. That is an honor that has the odds of one in a billion. Damian Wayne never had to go through that ordeal. He just casually strolled into Gotham and assumed the Robin mantle. And Batman was fine with it. It is hard to impress Batman. It is harder for someone to go against his wishes and still ensuring Batman keeps his opinions to himself. Batman’s actual son has some real merits we are yet to see in action that batman already has somehow.
Dick Grayson: Born Leader
When he started off as a superhero sidekick, Dick Grayson’s laid back attitude towards crimefighting irked Batman a lot. To top it off, Dick Grayson even decided to become a founding member of another superhero team – the Teen Titans. Eventually batman decided to cut the young lad some slack as long as he kept doing a good job. Dick Grayson was instrumental in making the Teen titans into the legend it is today. Despite having no powers, Dick Grayson was respected as the leader of the team by the other members, who were way more powerful than him.
Damian Wayne: Anti-Hero Ideology
Batman, for all his enormously huge team affiliations, is not a team player. he likes working alone. He believes one works best when the person remains unhindered by distractions like friends and allies. Damian Wayne also shares the same ideology. Like Batman, he is willing to work alone and use questionable tactics in battle to get the job done. If you know the story of Tower of Babel, you know how low Batman can get, even devising strategies against his own team mates in the Justice League. Damian Wayne, born and bred under the tutelage of Talia al Ghul, excels in such morally gray areas.
Dick Grayson: Nurturing Personality
Batman and Robin go well together because both are two sides of the same coin. Batman is more serious. Robin has a more caring and nurturing side. Dick Grayson, of all the Robins, is the most considerate of them all. there was once a time when Alfred was no longer a part of the Wayne household and Dick took the responsibility of caring for a young Tim Drake. Being Robin is not just about fighting crime. It’s also doing the things Bruce Wayne never could.
Damian Wayne: Trained Since Birth
Damian was only beginning to learn to walk when he was put through intensive training. He was taught combat skills and espionage techniques by the League of Assassins. Damian could kill a person in a dozen different ways even before he was five. Dick Grayson and Batman actually fought Damian Wayne. Despite losing, Damian’s remarkable martial arts prowess did some serious damage to both of his opponents. His skills are undeniably better than Dick Grayson’s when he was of the same age.
Dick Grayson: Acrobatic Skills Better Than Batman’s
Dick Grayson was a circus acrobat before he was orphaned. After Bruce Wayne took him in and made him Robin, Dick Grayson incorporated his acrobatic touch into his crimefighting skills. As a result, his combat techniques include a lot of agility. Dick dances around his opponents like an Angel of Death. He is unquestionably the greatest acrobat in the DC Universe. Dick Grayson’s unique acrobatic skills give him an edge as robin that Damian Wayne could never possess.
Damian Wayne: More Willing to Take Over As Batman
Many of the Robins that came before Damian Wayne have taken over the mantle of the Batman. But none took it voluntarily. Dick Grayson never wanted to be Batman. He only took on the role out of necessity. Tim Drake took on the role for a whole host of wrong reasons. Jason Todd, again, became Batman because it was necessary and not because he wanted to. Damian Wayne stands apart from the rest because he believes being Batman is his birthright. He is the only Robin willing to put in the work to make himself worthy of the cape and the cowl.
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Dick Grayson: Tragic Past
What does it take to be Batman? Enormous wealth or maybe the correct people backing him up? Wrong!! To become batman one needs the drive. To have that drive to change things, one needs to face some extraordinary situations. Bruce Wayne saw the death of his parents right in front of his eyes. It gave him the incredible motivation to become a legendary figure of the night. Almost 20 years later, he saw another boy lose his parents. That boy was of the same age when Bruce lost his parents. That boy was Dick Grayson.
Damian Wayne: A Blessed Bloodline
Damian Wayne is a well-oiled fighting machine not just because of his father. He inherits the bloodline of two legendary families – the Waynes and the Al Ghuls. Damian gets his analytical mind and near superhuman physcial skills from his father. Talia al Ghul is the reason he has a shrewd mentality and and several other traits from his immortal grandfather’s bloodline. He was literally the result of a successful experiment in eugenics to create the perfect warrior.
